Understanding Solar

Absolutely — we receive almost as much solar radiation as Miami does annually. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory collects and publishes data on the average solar radiation for the entire US.

This is a fairly simple question with many possible answers. Solar can work for you in a variety of ways. It can work as a power generation system in which the power you generate is sent to the grid, which through net metering creates a credit for you to use in place of paying for power from the utility companies. It can work for you thermally to heat your house with a solar thermal installation typically consisting of evacuated tubes. Lastly it can work for you as emergency backup power, or as a system to get completely off the power grid using deep cycle battery systems.

Net metering is a special billing agreement between you and your utility company. On a typical day, as you use energy, your utility meter spins forward measuring the amount of kilowatt hours (KWH) you buy. When solar panels are producing energy, they send that energy directly back through the utility meter to the company (the grid) spinning your meter backwards and creating a credit.

Typically, we like to size your system to offset about 90% of your annual utility consumption. We do this so that you don’t end up losing out on your return by selling excess power to the grid at a reduced cost as opposed to the retail cost they charge you for. That being said, we can size your system anywhere from 5%-105% of your utility usage keeping in mind that most power companies don’t want you to go over, or much over your total average consumption.

There are several factors that go into determining the price of your solar array. Some of the factors involved include where the array is going; whether it will be on your roof or on the ground. What kind of racking the system requires; whether it’s ballasted, uses feet, or is pole mounted. If there is a requirement for burying wires underground. At the end of the day solar has never been more affordable, and finding out just how affordable it is, is as simple as scheduling a site visit.

When the power goes, out so does your grid-tied array if you don’t have a battery backup system. When you generate electricity it first flows back out into the grid to create a credit before you use it. Thusly, when the grid is down your inverters have something called an, “anti islanding device” which shuts off your power production in order to save utility workers maintaining the lines from being shocked. That being said, if you have a battery backup system, when the power goes down your home switches to the battery instead just as if you had an emergency generator with an automatic startup.

The real estate appraisal rule for Virginia takes your first year’s energy production value and multiplies it by 20 to come up with an added value to your home. In other words the value added to your home is on average about 105% of what you paid for your solar array, before the federal tax credit.

When the power goes, out so does your grid-tied array if you don’t have a battery backup system. When you generate electricity it first flows back out into the grid to create a credit before you use it. Thusly, when the grid is down your inverters have something called an, “anti islanding device” which shuts off your power production in order to save utility workers maintaining the lines from being shocked. That being said, if you have a battery backup system, when the power goes down your home switches to the battery instead just as if you had an emergency generator with an automatic startup.

In the state of Virginia, citizens who purchase a solar array are eligible for the 30% federal, “Solar Investment Tax Credit.” What this means for you, the consumer, is that if you spend $10,000 on a solar array you will get $3,000 back in tax deductions. Beyond that, there is something called a, “Solar Renewable Energy Credit,” or SREC for short. For every one million watts you produce, or about $115 worth of electricity, you generate one of these SREC’s. States mandate that power companies account for a certain amount of their production through renewable energy and thusly they buy these SREC’s as vouchers for a certain amount of electricity. Currently they are selling for around $45 and are being brokered through Pennsylvania.

All of our equipment has a nameplate warranty for 25 years, this includes equipment replacement and labor costs. If something goes out we will know immediately thanks to power production tracking equipment installed with your array and will probably contact you before you even know there’s a problem to let you know we’re already working on the solution.

The short answer: absolutely none. There are no moving parts, in 99/100 installations you can just set it and forget it. Occasionally if you’re in an area with exceptionally high pollen accumulation it would be wise to spray off your panels to maximize production during pollen season. But other than that rare case, the average rainfall is enough to keep the panels clean and clear.